boucher



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' J. BOUCHER. COMBINED SWITCH AND SIGNAL DEVICE FOR RAILWAY GROSSINGS.N0. 490,736. PatentedJan. 31, 1893,

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet '2. I

. J. BOU'OHER. COMBINED SWITCH AND SIGNAL DEVICE FOR RAILWAY ORO-SSINGS.

No. 490,736. 7 Patented Jan. 31,- 1893.

WITNESSES J I m, EH0

NITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN BOUGHER, OF BELLE RIVER, CANADA, ASSIGN OR OF ONE-HALF TO DAVIDBECHARD, OF SAME PLACE.

I COMBINED SWITCH AND SIGNAL DEVl CE FOR RAlLWAY-CROSSlNGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 490,736, dated January31, 1893.

Application filed September 12,1891. Serial No. 405,472. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN BOUCHER, of Belle River, county of Essex,Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in a Combined Switch and Signal Device for Railway-Crossings; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to switch and signaling devices for railwaycrossings, and its object is to provide means for automatically blockingincoming trains at a crossing by a train on the opposite track, and itconsists in the combination of the devices hereinafter described, andshown in the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective of a crossingof railway tracks, showing the several semaphore signals, switches,connecting cables, and operating mechanism. Fig.2 is a diagram of thesystem of cables used by me. Fig. 3 shows the stand-pipe, weight, springand chain.

In the drawings, A and A are the respective tracks crossing one anotherat A B and B are semaphore signals, which are to be located a sufficientdistance from the crossing to permit the train to be stopped by thesignal before it reaches the crossing or the derailing switcheshereinafter described.

0 and C are switches adapted to open the track A at each side of thecrossing, and may be provided to switch a train coming in on this trackfrom either direction onto the sidetrack, or to derail it, as the casemay be, if from a failure to recognize the semphore signal, the train beallowed to pass the signal and approach the crossing when blocked by atrain on the opposite track at the crossing.

I employ an automatic switching device, consisting of shaft E runningunderneath the rails and mounted in any suitable support, as e, andprovided with trips (2 or any other suitable method for revolving theshaft E in either direction by a passing train. On the shaft E, at oneside of the track is mounted a standard 6 normall in a vertical ositionand adapted to be held in that position by means of the chain 6 runningup over a sheave d, and provided with a weight d in a stand-pipe D atthe side of the track. This weight and chain operate to hold thestandard e and'the shaft E in a position to be operated by a passingtrain. On the opposite end of the shaft E is mounted a sheave E,

adapted to carry a cable as hereinafter described. At the opposite sideof the crossing is provided an automatic switch, arranged similar tothat just described, adapted to be acted upon by a train approachingfrom the opposite direction, or'a train going out rrom the crossing, ashereinafter described, and which I will separately letter the stand-pipeD, shaft E pulley E trip e standard, and chain e E and F are doublesheaves, located near the track for carrying the cables. G, G, G and Gare sheaves located within the track, also for carrying the cables inthe system hereinafter described.

I will now describe the system of cables shown in the diagram in Fig. 2,used by me in operating the several semaphores and switches heretoforementioned. I provide this diagram that the course of the cables may befollowed withoutconfusion. The line of the cable we will say starts atE, around sheave F to a sheave b on the semaphore B, through the switch0, sheave G and G, and the second switch 0, around the semaphore B,sheave E and pulley E and back around sheave F, semaphore B, sheaves Gand G semaphore B, and sheave F to beginning. This makes a continuousdouble cable from sheave E to sheave E around the semaphores, so thatthe operation of the trip or other means for utilizing the movement ofthe train, will operate all of the semaphores. The main cable betweenthe semaphores passes through the switches O and C, and is attached tothe slide. In the normal position, with the semaphores set at safety andthe switches set for the main tracks, the trips 6, e, are held in anupright position by the weights and standards e hereinbefore described.In this position, the slack portions of the cables are respectivelyadjacent to the sheaves E, E and are respectively located in the upperstrands of the cables passing over sheaves E and E whereas the understrands of the cables adjacent to those sheaves are substantially taut,as is more particularly shown bythe lines representing; the cables inFig. 2, at e and e, e and 6 respectively. The cables when so adjustedare respectively fastened to the sheaves E and E at points markedacand'y; or they may be wound a number of times upon the sheaves to preventslipping. It is obvious that, upon a train approaching the crossing inthe direction of the arrows, as shown in Fig. 2, it would depress trips6, e, to the position shown by the dotted lines. This depression wouldpartially rotate the sheave E, and by such rotation would draw upon theunder strand e of the cable adjacent to the sheave E. The drawing uponthis strand would operate the semaphores and switches, and set them tothe position of danger. At the same time, it would take up the slack inthe upper cable adjacent to the sheave E to substantially the dottedline. This depression of the trip 6 thus draws the upper cable adjacentto E straight, without rotating the sheave E and at the same timeslackens the lower cable to the position shown in the dottedlinethereunder. This leaves the amount of slack in the upper cable adjacentto E substantially the same,- while the trip 8 is depressed. On thereturn of the trip a to its normal position, the rotation of the sheaveE takes up the slack in the upper cable and draws it taut, substantiallyas shown in the upper dotted line, at the same time, it slackens thelower cable, as shown by the dotted lines thereunder. The continuedpassage of the train in the line of the arrow operates the trips c androtates them to the position shown in the dotted lines. This rotates thesheave E thus draws on the taut upper cable, as shown by the dottedline, lowers the semaphore, and resets the switches at safety. It alsotakes up the slack in the under cable and slackens the upper cableadjacent to sheave E, when the position is the same as that shownnormally in the drawing of Fig. 2, and the operation is ready to berepeated by the passage of the trains in the same direction. The passageof a train in the opposite direction reverses the process, the rotationof the trip (2 toward the crossing draws upon the taut under cableadjacent to sheave E and at the same time arranging the cables adjacentto sheave E, as shown in the dotted lines, the upper portion taut, andthe lower portion slack. The return of the trips 6 to their normalposition tautens the upper cable and slackens the lower cable adjacentto the sheave E the continued passage of the train, strikslot and theguide of the switch bar.

in the frame 0 across the sliding block is the switch bar 0 in suitableguides, provided with a guide 0 operating in a cam slot 0 1n the vsliding block a. The switch bar C is attached to any suitable switch inthe track, which may be either a split switch or otherwise as desired.This construction is such that the operation of the cable connecting thesemaphores will operate the semaphores, and at the same time and withthe same movement operate the-sliding blocks 0 and open or close theswitches through the action of the cam This combination of thesemaphores, the continuous cables having the switches connectedtherewith, is designed to operate the semaphores and switchessimultaneously through the action of a train passing on the oppositetrack. I Y

Instead of the continuous cable takingthe' course as described by me indetail,- I may use three separate cables,- one consisting of a doubleline from one semaphore to the other, and connected with the switchoperating mechanism, and two othe-rindependent lines, one connectingeach semaphore with the mechanism to be operated with the moving train;and, in either case, whether using the continuous cable or the threeseparate cables, they may be attached to the pulleys or sheaves whereverpower is to be exerted, so that the action will be positive between twopoints, and not continuous through the entire system.- Any suitablemeans may be used for keeping the length of the cables adjusted in anysection or throughout the entire length of the continuous cable.

In the drawings and description I have shown what may be called a singlesystem, that is, a system in which one track is adaptedto be blocked bythe other; that is, inwhich track A is adapted to be blocked by atra-iri passing on track A; but I would have itunderstood that thissystem may be duplicated so that each track may be blocked by the other.This would simply call for aduplicat ing of the system described herein,but todescribe the same would complicate, and would serve no purpose inunderstanding the principle.

The operation of my device is as follows: A train approaching thecrossing onthe track A will operate the shaft E by striking'the trips orlevers c. This operating device may be varied, there being manywell-known methods of automatically operating signals by passing trains,any of which may be used.- The operation of this shaft by an incomingtrain will operate, through the pulley E, the entire system of cables,will set the sema- IIO phores on the opposite track on each side of thecrossing, will operate the switches O and C and open the opposite trackso that, if a train fails to stop or notice the semaphore, the switch isadapted to side-track or derail it. When the train on track A passes thecrossing and reaches the operating mechanism at the other side, itoperates the entire cable system in the opposite direction, closes theswitches and resets the semaphores.

In the stand-pipes carrying the weight for re-adjusting the automaticswitch operating mechanism, I provide a spring in the chain above theweight so as to relieve a sudden strain on the chain.

What I claim is- 1. In an automatic switch and signal system for railwaycrossings, the combination of semaphore signals situated at suitabledistances from the crossing on a track approaching it, double cablesconnecting said semaphores adapted to operate them simultaneously, andmechanism adapted to be actuated by a passing train to operate saidsemaphores by means of said double cables, said mechanism consisting oftrips, and operating sheaves to which said cables are fastened, eachsystem of trips and operating sheaves being rigidly attached to,a commonrotating shaft, whereby the depression of the trips toward the crossingshall set the signals at danger and the depression of the trip outwardlyfrom the crossing shall set the signal at safety, substantially asdescribed.

2. In an automatic switch and signal system for railway crossings, thecombination of derailing switches situated at suitable distances fromthe crossing on the track approaching it, double cables connectingsaidswitches adapted to operate them simultaneously upon the two sides ofsaid crossing, and mechanism for operating said cables, consisting oftrips adapted to be operated by the passing train, and operating sheavesto which said cables are attached, each system of trips and sheavesbeing rigidly attached to a common rotating shaft so adjusted that thedepression of the trips respectively toward the crossing shall set thederailing switches for side-tracks and the depression of the tripsoutwardly from the crossings sh all reset the switches for the maintrack, substantially as described.

3. In an autamatic switch and signal system for=railway crossings, thecombination of derailing switches situated at suitable distancesfrom thecrossing on the trackapproaching it, double cables connecting saidswitches adapted to operate them simultaneously upon the two sides ofsaid crossing, mechanism for operating said cables, consisting of tripsadapted to be operated by the passing train, and operating sheaves towhich said double cables are attached so adjusted that the depression ofthe trips respectively toward the crossing shall set the derailingswitches for side-tracks and the depression of the trips outwardly fromthe crossings shall reset the switches for the main track, and means forreturning the trips to their normal position, the trip, sheaves andmeans for returning the trips being operated by a common shaft,substantially as described. v p

4. In a signal mechanism for railway crossings, the combination of ashaft operating transversely to the line of railway with which it isconnected, trips rigidly attached thereto said shaft adapted to beoperated by the passing train by rotating the shaft in either directioncorresponding to the passage of the train, a sheave rigidly located uponsaid shaft and adapted to turn either way with double operating cablespermanently attached to said sheave, and adapted to be operated thereby,mechanism whereby said cables are adapted to operate signals andswitches to set them at danger, and to return them'at safety, and meansfor returning the trips to their normal position whereby they may beoperated by a train passingin either direction, substantially asdescribed.

5. In an automatic crossing signal system, the combination with thetrack of two transverse shafts located in said track and upon oppositesides of a crossing, trips rigidly attached to said shafts adapted to beoperated by a train passing in either direction, sheaves rigidlyattached to said shafts, and double cables permanently attached to saidsheaves and so adjusted that actuation of one trip and shaft to set thesignals at danger shall adapt the trip upon the opposite side of thecrossing, when actuated in the same direc tion, to rotate the signals tosafety, substantially as described.

6. In an'automatic crossing signal system, the combination'with thetrack of two transverse shafts located in' said track and upon oppositesides of a crossing, trips rigidly attached to said shafts adapted to beoperated bya train passing in either direction, sheaves rigidly attachedto said shafts, double cables permanently attached to said sheaves andrelatively so adjusted in length that actuation of one trip and shaft toset the signals at danger shall adapt the trip upon the opposite side of,the crossing, when actuated in the same direction, to rotate thesignals to safety, and means of adjustment of the length of said cables,substantially as described. I

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

his JOHN BOUCHER.

mark Witnesses:

D. BEOHAR-D, MARION A. REEVE.

IIO

